james r.c. smith Archives

Dad Test Drive: 2019 Ford Edge Titanium

July 5, 2019

An SUV with a firm grasp on performance, the Ford Edge has been carving out its own niche between the nippy Escape and the sturdy Explorer. I’ve been wanted to try the new Edge for a while, especially as a viable family car and replacement for my Ford Focus. As a Dad, my main criteria are that it has lots of trunk space, a comfy interior with enough room to be able to get a child’s seat in without putting my back out and be comfortable to drive for hours on family road trips. To ...

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A Dad’s Guide to Tidying and Home Safety

June 24, 2019

One of the first things I discovered when I became a parent is that kids are curious about everything. Toys, cat food, my nose, and things that I thought I’d put safely away but hadn’t, like laundry detergent. I thought it might be useful if I shared a few very quick and simple tips that I’ve ...

Dad-ing

Navigating a Toddler’s Fears

May 1, 2019

My daughter is at the age where monsters under the bed are becoming very real. Her capacity for imagination is developing and it’s all very new and worrying to her. Somewhere around two to three years old, children learn to be anxious and afraid of things, even if it’s entirely ...

Dad-ing

2019 Canadian Dad Bloggers Awards

April 17, 2019

Us Dad bloggers don’t often get the same footing as the Mums out there, especially when it comes to the topic of parenting. Nowadays, the share of raising our little ones is 50-50 and we’re loving every minute. Generally speaking, although it’d be cool if there were a few less ...

Brand Love, Cars and Trucks

2019 Honda Pilot Touring – Test Drive and Review

April 16, 2019

I love that I get to try new cars and I’m always looking for a suitable replacement for our modest family car, a 2015 Ford Focus. The 2019 Honda Pilot Touring was admittedly not on my list of eye-catching family-sized SUVs. From the outside, it seems solid, attractive enough, but not ...

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Monster Trucks and Hair Cuts

March 10, 2019

I need a haircut. My greys are showing and it keeps curling in weird directions. Every time I get used to a new barber, they move, quit, or just plain disappear. Do they know how hard it is to find the right person with the exact right balance of knowing exactly how to cut my hair, to keep the ...

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Passing on a Love for Storytime

March 1, 2019

I was always so excited to start a new book when I was a boy. In particular, I remember sitting in bed and trying to keep my eyes open, battling off sleep to finish another chapter of Roald Dahl’s The Witches. I read all of his books, but it was always that one which I used to read with ...

Dad-ing

The Easiest DIY Garden Planter Project

February 25, 2019

Late on Sunday evening I wanted to build a little project with my daughter, and since Spring is just around the corner I wanted to do something in the garden. We already have a 3×3 meter space for growing a few flowers and attempts at vegetables, although the peas did surprisingly well ...

Dad-ing

The REAL Man’s Guide to Being a Father

February 15, 2019

There’s been a lot of talk about manliness, what’s expected of us and brands telling me how I should behave. As a man (I checked) and a dad, I wanted to share a quick guide to make sure my fellow manly men don’t get confused. 1. You are in charge of how your kids see you. Make ...